(Part 1 of 10)
“Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” — C.H. Spurgeon
2 Timothy 4:1-4
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
2 Timothy 3:1-7
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. 6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. (always fumbling around with “new revelation, but never actually getting to the bottom line truth)
2 Peter 2:1-3
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them(false teachers deny the reality of Christ’s redemption through faith alone as the means of salvation), bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Jude 3-4
3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Titus 1:10-11
10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party.
11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.
Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed,it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress,so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced (ridiculous as the expression may seem) more true than truth itself. —Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1:2
Heresy: an opinion or a doctrine rejected by the authorities of a church as contrary to the established creed of that church; an interpretation or a theological view of a sacred writing or other standard of religion, or of any distinctive part of it, opposed to that authoritatively established or generally accepted
The reasons behind classifying this doctrine as Heresy are as follows:
(1) its deistic view of God, who must dance to men’s attempts to manipulate the spiritual laws of the universe; (Deism was represented as the view of those who reduced the role of God to a mere act of creation in accordance with rational laws discoverable by man and held that, after the original act, God virtually withdrew and refrained from interfering in the processes of nature and the ways of man.)
(2) its demonic view of Christ, who is filled with “the satanic nature” and must be “born-again” in hell; (3) its gnostic view of revelation, which demands denial of the physical senses and classifies Christians by their willingness to do so; and
(4) its metaphysical view of salvation, which deifies man and spiritualizes the atonement, locating it in hell rather than on the cross, thereby subverting the crucial biblical belief that it is Christ’s physical death and shed blood which alone atone for sin.
The dangerous thing about this is it is a false gospel, that teaches a false christ, that will lead people to hell.
Brief History
The Word Faith heresy traces its roots back to the mind science cults started by a woman named Mary Baker Eddy (1821 – 1910). She is considered to have started the Christian Science cult. Kenneth Hagin (1917 – 2003) is known as the “father” of this movement. However, if you carefully study his writings and teachings, it is obvious that he plagiarized a man by the name of E.W. Kenyon (1867 – 1948). He was the founder of New Covenant Baptist Church and founder of the Bethe Bible Institute. He was heavily influenced by Mary Baker Eddy. He was also influenced by Pentecostalism during his time.
So, now that we have a foundation of where this began, let’s take a look at how this “theology” is set up, because in all actuality, if you remove the doctrine that it is based on, the whole thing falls apart. It’s basically a house of cards. (Mankind is created in the “God Class”; Mankind is a “Tri-part Being similar to God as the Trinity; spiritual laws obligate God and Mankind is a “Creative Being”, (JUST LIKE GOD) Kind of a “three legged stool”.
The method that is used to build this heresy is what can be referred to as “pop bead” theology. Just ripping verses out of context and stringing them together even though they have nothing to do with each other.
This movement owes its ancestry to such groups as:
Christian Science (adherents subscribe to a radical form of philosophical idealism, believing that reality is purely spiritual and the material world an illusion; part of Gnostism. It’s roots can be traced back to Hinduism (you can become a God by doing a lot of good karma, etc.) Everything can be a god in Hinduism (sacred cows; can’t kill them, they could be your reincarnated relative)
Mary Baker Eddy (1821 – 1910)Founded the Church of Christ, Scientist in New England in 1879
Founded “The Christian Science Monitor”Christian Science – Mind Science Cults (positive thinking to the extent that it can change reality, etc.)
From “Kingdom of the Cults” – Dr. Walter Martin
“Since the mid 1980’s, Christian Science has solidified its public image as a benign Christian denomination of thoughtful, spiritually mature people who enjoy a rather intellectual, quiet faith that gives them peace with God without any of the unappealing aspects of traditional Christianity, such as the existence of hell, the doctrine of the Trinity, or the incarnation, resurrection and atonement of Christ.”
“Man originated not from dust, material, but from Spirit, spiritually.”
“Man is God’s image and likeness; whatever is possible to God, is possible to man as God’s reflection”
Swedenborgianism (claims of direct revelation from God)
Theosophy (Gnosticism) (Knowledge of things divine; a philosophy based upon a claim of special insight into the divine nature, or a special divine revelation.)
Science of Mind (Ernest Holmes) Holmes’ writing details how people can actively engage their mind in creating change throughout their lives.
New Thought (based on the teachings of Phineas Quimby (1802–1866)), an American mesmerist and healer. Quimby had developed a belief system that included the tenet that illness originated in the mind as a consequence of erroneous beliefs and that a mind open to God’s wisdom could overcome any illness.[9] This philosophy morphs into Christian Science and Positive Confession. His basic premise was:
The trouble is in the mind, for the body is only the house for the mind to dwell in […] Therefore, if your mind had been deceived by some invisible enemy into a belief, you have put it into the form of a disease, with or without your knowledge. By my theory or truth, I come in contact with your enemy, and restore you to health and happiness. This I do partly mentally, and partly by talking till I correct the wrong impression and establish the Truth, and the Truth is the cure.)
Mary Baker Eddy quotes/beliefs
“the material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin, when it was shed upon ‘the
accursed tree’ than when it was flowing in His veins.”
She referred to the idea that God’s wrath must be propitiated by physical sacrifice as a “heathen conception.”
Denied physical symptoms. She considered them an “illusion” and “error” that can be overcome by the power of thought.
Eddy advises, When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust
Eddy contends that “the way to cure the patient is to make the disease unreal to him.”[22] In other words, the person who is ill must be shown that he cannot trust what his physical senses are telling him about his symptoms.
“To prevent disease or to cure it,” claims Eddy, “the power of Truth, of divine Spirit, must break the dream of the material senses.”[23] The sick person must be taught to “turn his gaze from the false evidence of the senses” to the truths of Christian Science.[24] Eddy advises, “When the first symptoms of disease appear, dispute the testimony of the material senses with divine Science.”[25] Thus, symptoms of illness only have reality to the degree that the sick person acknowledges and speaks of their existence.
In Christian Science, the the real is divine, spiritual, and good. The unreal is earthly, material and evil. The Hindu doctrine of “Maya’ is similar to this which states that the world (Material world) is an illusion. Akin to Gnosticism.
E. W. Kenyon (1867 – 1948)
Lived in Boston during the 1890’s (during his early 20’s)
Was influenced by what was called “New Thought”; a branch of the “mind science” movement that included Christian Science.
He was a Baptist minister who rejected major points of Pentecostal doctrine. Ironically, his teachings were well accepted by Pentecostals.
Kenyon quotes/beliefs (also influenced by early Pentecostalism; healing revivals, etc.)
Kenyon believed that our knowledge that comes from the senses is in error as far as it contradicts what God has said in the Bible. This is based on a twisting of scriptures regarding healing, faith, wealth, etc.
Since our natural or “sense” knowledge cannot ascend to the knowledge of the spiritual realm, it contradicts that higher knowledge, which can only come from “direct revelation” from God. (to be discussed more in depth in a later session; divine healing, prosperity and such); denying reality.
He also believed that God’s “revelation” knowledge gives us perfect knowledge of God’s will; so we have no excuse for living in weakness, fear, failure, sickness or in ignorance of God’s will.
Goes with Mary Baker Eddy’s above quote about the blood of Jesus: [30] Kenyon’s commitment to such metaphysical concepts made it impossible for him to believe that Christ’s physical sufferings on the cross could be sufficient to win man’s redemption without some supposedly more significant spiritual suffering in the spirit realm. This spiritualization of Jesus’ death, whether implicit (as in the Faith theology), or explicit (as in metaphysics), destroys the very core of the gospel. It is cultic and heretical.
The “three horrible days and nights” in hell inflicted much more than external suffering upon Christ. Kenyon taught that when Jesus died spiritually, an internal transformation took place in his nature, just like that which took place in Adam when he sinned. On the cross, when man’s sin and spiritual death were imputed to him, Jesus became a “new Satanic creation.” As a result, “Jesus became sin. His spirit was separated from God.”
Kenyon viewed sickness as a spiritual condition that manifested itself in the physical body. This view is similar to the metaphysical notion that all sickness has spiritual causes. Kenyon and New Thought taught that in spite of the fact that the physical realm is real and sickness does exist, the proper response is to ignore the symptoms and refuse to acknowledge or affirm the sickness verbally. (this is further developed to apply to poverty, or any other unfortunate situation one might find themselves in.)
He taught that faith is “bringing into the present tense things which were in the future for us” (Hebrews 11:1 (Now faith is) they put the emphasis on the word “now”
He taught that man was created “in God’s class of being” (leans toward Pentecostalism) Creative beings; should be able to create things just like God; thru words. Except you’re not God. God created the world and universe “ex-nihilo” purely out of nothing. Gen 1:26 “God gave mankind dominion”
The Core beliefs of the Word Faith movement can be traced back to Kenyon. We will discuss each of these in later sessions:
Mankind or human nature is a spirit, has a soul and lives in a body. The real “man” is his/her spirit.
God created the universe (and the world) by speaking words of faith. He does everything by faith and we are to have the same kind of faith.
In the fall, mankind took on Satan’s nature and gave up their divine dominion to him. This event made (according to Kenyon), Satan the legal god of this world and would make it so that God could not do anything on this planet except thru mankind.
Jesus died spiritually in addition to physically. He took on Satan’s nature and suffered in Hell to redeem us (first born-again man)
By our positive confession with the God kind of faith, we should be able to overcome sin, sickness, poverty, etc.
Kenneth Hagin quotes/beliefs
Kenneth E Hagin (1917 – 2003)
Considered the “father” of the Word Faith movement
Plagiarized Kenyon on multiple occassions.
The trouble with us is that we’ve preached a ‘cross’ religion, and we need to preach a ‘throne’ religion. By that I mean that people have thought they were supposed to remain at the cross. Some have received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, have backed up to the cross, and have stayed there ever since…The cross is actually a place of defeat, whereas the Resurrection is a place of triumph. When you preach the cross, you’re preaching death, and you leave people in death. (The Believer’s Authority, 1986) (rebuttal to this in notes on “created in His image”)
We died all right, but we’re raised with Christ. We’re seated with Him. Positionally, that’s where we are right now: We’re seated with Christ in the place of authority in heavenly places.
Believer’s should never deal with doubts and fears because they are the devil’s narcotics.
God is glorified through healing and deliverance, not through sickness and suffering. (What about Job?) What about the blind man in John 9:2?
“Our confession will either imprison us or set us free. Our confession is the result of our believing, and our believing is the result of our right or wrong thinking.”
“If you stand by the Word, God will stand by you and will make His Word good in your life. But if you don’t stand on God’s Word, then He has nothing to make good in your life. Many folks pray and pray and pray, but they don’t pray according to the Word. But John 15:7 says, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.”
“Many times we’re cheated out of the blessings God wants us to have in this life because we’re not cooperating with Him. Instead of praying again for Sister Gray’s healing, the congregation should have raised their hands and thanked God that she had been healed.”
Contending 4 the Faith 